Mcreynolds

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets, discarding remnants of the woeful 1993 season like so many bad memories, traded outfielder Vince Coleman to the Kansas City Royals yesterday.In return, the Mets reacquired another enigmatic outfielder, Kevin McReynolds, who roamed Shea Stadium for five years before being traded to the Royals after 1991.That the Mets were required to bring back McReynolds in what was the only deal for Coleman offered by any team did not cause the team to issue any apologies or excuses.

With a year to go on his contract, outfielder Kevin McReynolds got free-agent treatment from the New York Mets yesterday with a three-year, $10 million contract extension.The deal mirrors the ones recently signed by Brett Butler, Willie McGee and George Bell, all free-agent outfielders. After watching Darryl Strawberry leave after the final year of his contract, the Mets were not about to let that happen with McReynolds.Still, the investment comes after a troubling season for McReynolds, one that he called the "toughest, strangest," of his career, when he batted .269, but just .232 against left-handers.

Larry McReynolds, the well-respected former NASCAR crew chief and now Fox television commentator, had seen and heard of a lot of rich men who wanted to talk about starting a race team, but had quickly faded from the scene. Talk is, as the saying goes, cheap. Owning a race team isn't. So, when a man named Alex Meshkin approached him, wanting to talk about starting a race team, McReynolds wasn't really interested. "I thought it was just another one of those people," McReynolds said. When McReynolds learned Meshkin, a Maryland native, was 23, well, you can imagine.

Larry McReynolds, the well-respected former NASCAR crew chief and now Fox television commentator, had seen and heard of a lot of rich men who wanted to talk about starting a race team, but had quickly faded from the scene. Talk is, as the saying goes, cheap. Owning a race team isn't. So, when a man named Alex Meshkin approached him, wanting to talk about starting a race team, McReynolds wasn't really interested. "I thought it was just another one of those people," McReynolds said. When McReynolds learned Meshkin, a Maryland native, was 23, well, you can imagine.

Mary Brian, 96, a film star and memorable ingenue who bridged the silent and early sound eras, died Monday in Del Mar, Calif. Between Peter Pan in 1924 and Dragnet in 1947, Miss Brian appeared in 82 films. She was one of Hollywood's romantic leading ladies from the mid-1920s through the late 1930s. While she did not rank with superstars such as Clara Bow or Mary Pickford, she was a bankable contract player and a gratifying attraction at the box office. Her leading men were the likes of Gary Cooper, Lew Ayres, James Cagney, Cary Grant, William Haines, Warner Oland and Dick Powell.

LONG POND, Pa. -- Car owner Richard Childress looks less worried. His driver, Dale Earnhardt also is looking better, as he finds time to spend with several children who are suffering from cancer. He signs autographs and speaks encouragingly, as he rubs their frail backs.It is a different picture from a month ago. Oh, the car owner and the driver shook hands and signed autographs, but a month ago it was a duty, crammed into their worried lives and their schedules, bulging with things that had to be done on a struggling race team.

LONG POND, Pa. -- It's supposed to be a sport that has its heart centered in mechanical expertise -- the engine power, the aerodynamics of the car design that set the driver up for a great performance.But yesterday, here at Pocono International Raceway, there was a little demonstration about the emotions of the game.In the morning, crew chief Larry McReynolds announced an end to his efforts to start his own race team. And he said he has signed on for another three years with car owner Richard Childress and driver Mike Skinner.

Mary Brian, 96, a film star and memorable ingenue who bridged the silent and early sound eras, died Monday in Del Mar, Calif. Between Peter Pan in 1924 and Dragnet in 1947, Miss Brian appeared in 82 films. She was one of Hollywood's romantic leading ladies from the mid-1920s through the late 1930s. While she did not rank with superstars such as Clara Bow or Mary Pickford, she was a bankable contract player and a gratifying attraction at the box office. Her leading men were the likes of Gary Cooper, Lew Ayres, James Cagney, Cary Grant, William Haines, Warner Oland and Dick Powell.

LONG POND, Pa. -- It's supposed to be a sport that has its heart centered in mechanical expertise -- the engine power, the aerodynamics of the car design that set the driver up for a great performance.But yesterday, here at Pocono International Raceway, there was a little demonstration about the emotions of the game.In the morning, crew chief Larry McReynolds announced an end to his efforts to start his own race team. And he said he has signed on for another three years with car owner Richard Childress and driver Mike Skinner.

LONG POND, Pa. -- Car owner Richard Childress looks less worried. His driver, Dale Earnhardt also is looking better, as he finds time to spend with several children who are suffering from cancer. He signs autographs and speaks encouragingly, as he rubs their frail backs.It is a different picture from a month ago. Oh, the car owner and the driver shook hands and signed autographs, but a month ago it was a duty, crammed into their worried lives and their schedules, bulging with things that had to be done on a struggling race team.

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets, discarding remnants of the woeful 1993 season like so many bad memories, traded outfielder Vince Coleman to the Kansas City Royals yesterday.In return, the Mets reacquired another enigmatic outfielder, Kevin McReynolds, who roamed Shea Stadium for five years before being traded to the Royals after 1991.That the Mets were required to bring back McReynolds in what was the only deal for Coleman offered by any team did not cause the team to issue any apologies or excuses.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- The winter meetings were drawing to a sleepy close last night when the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals shook the baseball world wide-awake.The Mets, continuing their dramatic restructuring, acquired two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen, 27, and infielder Bill Pecota, 31, for outfielder Kevin McReynolds, 32, infielder-outfielder Gregg Jefferies, 24, and infielder-outfielder Keith Miller, 28.The last in a series of deals consummated on the final full day of meetings at the Fontainebleau Resort rivals last year's trade between the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays -- Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez -- as the biggest blockbuster in recent memory.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- The winter meetings were drawing to a sleepy close last night when the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals shook the baseball world wide-awake.The Mets, continuing their dramatic restructuring, acquired two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen, 27, and infielder Bill Pecota, 31, for outfielder Kevin McReynolds, 32, infielder-outfielder Gregg Jefferies, 24, and infielder-outfielder Keith Miller, 28.The last in a series of deals consummated on the final full day of meetings at the Fontainebleau Resort rivals last year's trade between the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays -- Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez -- as the biggest blockbuster in recent memory.